So Close
by Serenity01
Summary: Takes place after the movie so it contains spoliers for the movie. Not to much romance in the 1st chapter, but 2nd and the rest should have more. Also some KayleeSimon too. Also, please review.


Summary: This takes place right after the movie Serenity-like right when the movie ended.

Theres gonna be MalInara eventually, and some KayleeSimon.

Theres not really any romance or anything in the first chapter, but it's building up, so there will be in chapter two! )

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Joss does.

Chapter 1: The Deal

Zoe stopped as she walked by Mal, who was cleaning a gun.

"Do we have a job yet, sir?" She asked.

He looked over his shoulder at her. "Yeah. Not to far away though. Should get there within the next few days sometime."

"Alright sir. If you don't mind, I think I'll get some shut eye."

Mal just nodded his head, and Zoey walked away.

"Pass the potatoes." Jayne said thickly, through a mouthful of canned peas.

"Can you please have a little bit of manners?" asked Simon, a disgusted look on his face.

"Just pass 'em! I'm hungry!"

"I understand you already have found a job?" Inara asked Mal gracefully at the other end of the table.

Mal nodded. "Its on the planet Jaime. Do you have any possible clients there?"

"I'll be checking later." She looked over at Mal quickly, who wasn't looking at her anymore.

"Will you two stop your fightin'!" Mal yelled across the table to Jayne and Simon, who were still bickering. Simon turned away from Jayne, and the table was silent for a bit (which did not happen very often).

"Well...now that I have everyone's attention..." Mal started, "We already have ourselves a deal, and if everything goes according to plan, we'll all plenty of spendin' money."

"What's the deal?" Jayne asked gruffly.

"It's on planet Jaime, we're meeting a guy, Nicholas Polinar. Has some things that need to be dealed with some people."

"Why doesn't he just do the deal himself?" Jayne asked again.

"Says he doesn't like these type of folk-to dangerous, but his father wants him to get the deal done. We're to get half the earnings if we do it. The only people I need off the ship with me is Jayne and Zoey. The rest of you can just stay onboard. How much longer till we arrive, River?"

"Tomorrow morning. Early..."

"Good, because we're to meet him by noon." Mal said, standing and leaving the table.

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"It looks like a pleasant planet.." Zoey said, looking around when they stepped out of Serenity.

"Lots of planets appear so..." Mal muttered, seeming to look around the docking port they were in. "The person meeting us said he's wearing a green shirt, and wearing a hat."

Jayne put his hand up against the sun, looking around too. He pointed, and turned to Mal. "What about that guy? That look like him?"

"Seems to be." Mal replied, and they started walking towards the man.

"Malcolm Reynolds, and his crew, I presume?" He said once they reached him.

"Nicholas Polinar?" Mal inquired. The man looked at Mal pleasantly, and shook his hand.

"One and only." Polinar stated, smiling slightly. "Now how 'bout we go over to my place to see the stuff?"

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"What is it exactly you're wanting us to sell?" Mal asked, looking at the crate, once they had arrived at the mansion.

Polinar looked at the crate and back at Mal. "Different sorts of chips. Hardware. Parts. All of it top quality stuff, prices run high for this type of equipment." He said, patting the large crate. He took out a piece of paper from an envelope, and gave it to Mal. "That's where the buyers are expecting you."

"How does this pay work anyhow?" Zoey asked this time.

"You all will go, get the deal done, bring the money back here, and I'll give you your share of the profits. One of my friends tells me that you folk are trustworthy, so I trust that you won't run off with my share. Also, I have a part that Mr. Malcolm wanted for his ship." He pointed to a metal object. Polinar looked down at his watch. "You all should probably head off now. They'll be expecting you soon."

Mal nodded, and picked up the crate with Zoe, putting it on the back of their transportation.

The wind blew through Mal's hair as they speed across the desert. Looking ahead, he saw a group of men, right at the meeting place. They slowed down, and hopped off.

One of the men stepped forward, his hands in his pockets. "You got the goods for us?"

"It depends." Mal said. "Do you got the pay?"

He took his hand out of his pocket, withdrawing a small drawstring bag. He shook it, making the coins inside jingle, then threw it to Mal, who caught it swiftly, opened it, and counted the pay.

"Alright, we have ourselves a deal." Mal and Zoey took the crate, and carried it over to them.

The man opened the crate, and peered into.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you." He said, smiling at Mal as he shook hands.

"Same." Mal replied, as Zoey, Jayne, and himself walked back to their hovership, and left.

"I have to say that this seems to be goin' quite smoothly," Mal said, as they pulled into Polinar's garage base.

'True, sir. It's not complicating so far." Zoey sighed.

"Yeah, and let's hope it stays that way too." Jayne grumbled. "I want my earnings."

Polinar walked up to them as they got out, along with four more men, and Zoey threw the bag of earnings to him. He counted it, and smiled at them. Mal could tell right away it wasn't a normal smile. It was more like a smirk.

"Well, if we could just take our portion of it and just leave..." Mal started, sensing something was going to happen. He took several steps toward Polinar.

"Oh well that's where you're quite wrong, Malcolm Reynolds." He took out an expensive looking gun, and so did the four others. "Do you know how much money my fathers old friend, Niska, is offering for you? He says that he was not quite finished with killing you." Polinar smirked evilly.

Mal's hand had automatically scratched the back of his ear, which had previously been cut off by Niska the last time he had seen him.

The next thing he knew, he was shot. Mal staggered back a bit, and then reliazed something. It wasn't a bullet. It was some sort of needle that had ejected some sort of medicine into his body. He ripped it out and threw it at the ground. Right away, Jayne and Zoey pulled out their guns, and shot the four men quickly, and they fell to the ground wit thuds. That was easy. Mal took out his own gun, and pointed at Polinar...or tried to. Polinar was blurry, and seemed to be shakily moving around. Mal couldn't focus in on anything.

"Having trouble, Reynolds? Don't worry, you'll become paralyzed soon." Nicholas Polinar laughed, and Mal shot him in the chest easily. Polinar fell to the ground.

"Gorram idiot. Talkin' just gives away yer location.." Mal muttered, putting away his gun. His words were slurred, and he started swaying where he was standing.

"Jayne, get him into the boat!" Zoey said quickly, as she grabbed the bag of money, ship part, and searched the other mens pockets quickly. Jayne heaved Mal into the hoverboat, and Zoey hopped in, and drove quickly towards Serenity. Mal's eyes were close, with occasional grunts and groans as Jayne hit him lightly on the cheek to keep him awake.

She pulled into Serenity fast, and stopped abruptly. "Simon! Simon!" She yelled urgently.

Simon ran across the bridge. "What happened? Who's hurt?"

"It's the captain. They shot him with something funny." Zoey said quickly.

The rest of the crew appeared on the bridge.

Inara gasped and put her hands over her mouth. She watched as Simon and Jayne hurriedly carried Mal to the infirmary.


End file.
